My name is Fiona/فيونة/פיונה. I think the Hebrew and Arabic are correct, if not, please let me know. If you would be willing to translate my name into any other languages/scripts please feel free to do so as well, I'd love you forever (and give you lots of cookies!!!).

Anyways, I am Fiona, and I'm an 18 year old currently living in the United States. I was born and grew up in The Netherlands, but I have been in the US for about 8 years now. I grew up bilingually, as a lot of Europeans do, speaking mostly Dutch but learning English from my American mom. I took two languages for granted until I moved to America, and saw how many people here only knew one language!

Since I've moved here, my interest in languages has definitely expanded... I'm still fluent in only English and Dutch, but I have been studying Spanish for the last several years now, and am very interested in learning many other languages, including Arabic, Hebrew, German, ASL, Japanese and Russian.

I've frequented language forums for several years now to try to learn more about my target languages... and I'm happy to finally be a part of this one now.

Fiona wrote:I took two languages for granted until I moved to America, and saw how many people here only knew one language!

People who speak English as a native language can tend to think that learning another language is unnecessary. It's a pity really, as Goethe said "those who don't know a foreign language, know nothing of their own".

Do you miss the Netherlands? It certainly must have been a change to move to the USA!

Your name in a couple scripts I know:Фиона in Russian cyrillicᎢᎣᎾ in CherokeeΦιονα in Greekᐱᐅᓇ in Canadian Aboriginal Syllabics, it says "Piona," because there's no /f/. ᚠᛁᛟᚾᚨ in the Elder Futhark, quite suiting for your name.

Declan wrote:People who speak English as a native language can tend to think that learning another language is unnecessary.

Aren't they right in thinking so, more often than not?

Sure, learning a foreign language is an enriching experience. So is learning an instrument, or a competitive sport, or herpetology. It's a pity more people can't make their own music or heal other living things.

Declan wrote:People who speak English as a native language can tend to think that learning another language is unnecessary.

Aren't they right in thinking so, more often than not?

Well, yes I suppose they are. Certainly, living as I do in a tourist area, every tourist coming here has some bit of English, and everywhere I've ever been in Europe I've always been able to communicate in English if I didn't speak the language of the country.

Declan wrote:Do you miss the Netherlands? It certainly must have been a change to move to the USA!

I miss the NL very much. I love it here in Washington, but it really isn't quite home to me... even though I do have some family here. I really miss the atmosphere that the NL gives off, as well as France and Germany and all the other European countries I used to be able to visit. At least I get to go back and visit every other year. =)

ILuvEire wrote:Your name in a couple scripts I know:Фиона in Russian cyrillicᎢᎣᎾ in CherokeeΦιονα in Greekᐱᐅᓇ in Canadian Aboriginal Syllabics, it says "Piona," because there's no /f/. ᚠᛁᛟᚾᚨ in the Elder Futhark, quite suiting for your name.

Thank you very much. =D

linguoboy wrote:Sure, learning a foreign language is an enriching experience. So is learning an instrument, or a competitive sport, or herpetology. It's a pity more people can't make their own music or heal other living things.

I definitely agree with this... I think everyone should learn a foreign language if they have the opportunity!

Sure, learning a foreign language is an enriching experience. So is learning an instrument, or a competitive sport, or herpetology. It's a pity more people can't make their own music or heal other living things.

Indubitably. I love learning languages, before I didn't really have a hobby, or anything to do for fun, but play video games, which aren't useful at all.

Well, except hang out with friends, but I don't get a chance to do that very often.